CAF form done-now the wait (support thread)

[SweetsAndChocolates]

So have submitted secondary school choices.
I've mulled over the choices, for what seems like forever 😂

I don't want to think about it, but it's there at the back of my mind, sometimes I have a bit of wobble- what if I've made the wrong choice? 😭

March seems like a very long way away, so, anyone else in the same boat?

Feeling very nervous as 2 out of 3 schools we've chosen are oversubscribed 😑

Thought it would be nice to have a support thread, until the moment or truth!

You mention mulling over the decision for ages, what's made the decision so difficult?
As long as your CAF includes a sure bet local comp that you are in the catchment of then you should be fine.

I was definitely overthinking the whole process.

DC achieved the required standard for grammar, however he liked an alternative school (which was fine).
He was happy with getting either of the two (leaning more towards non grammar but much further out) but there was lots of thinking as both unfortunately out of catchment, and both oversubscribed.

So I mulled about the whole process as putting schools (more than one) out of catchment didn't sound quite wise 😂

March does seem so far away.

Weve only listed one school. But its a two minute walk away, and we are Category 2 below LAC/ECHP. And category 9 for all other schools. (We have fixed catchment areas and feeder schools so there's not many surprises around here!)

I'm still over in the "other camp" agonising over preferences and waiting some test results. If this is second time around (or more) for anyone here can you tell me what info you get on Offer Day. I understand any schools ranked lower than the one you are offered are marked "declined" is there anyway of finding out if you would have got a place if you had ranked it higher? Just curious.

@BettySundaes I think it would be possible to get the information from the school/LEA on the cut off distance/score after offer day, but make sure you put the schools on your CAF form in your genuine order of preference. As long as you include somewhere on your form at least one school you can be pretty sure of getting a place at, there is no risk involved in putting your favourite school first. It's an equal preference system and you don't get priority for putting a school first, or lose priority for putting it further down. Best of luck with your test results

@BettySundaes oh the darn results! Thankfully we had a shorter wait and received those 12 October...then it was decision time, as we liked the local comp as well as grammar (and couldn't decide what would be best for third choice )
Good luck 🤞

Okay, we’re done! Application submitted, and I can stop obsessing for now which is a big relief. I’ve been able to think and talk about little else since August and have even been dreaming about schools!

We get 6 “choices” here; so I’ve gone for 1 and 2 as “aspirational” (ie: will get on the waiting list and see we how do before September) and 3-6 are previously undersubscribed.

March seems like a lifetime away!

@Mrsfrumble it's such a relief once it's over and done with 😂 I can totally relate to thinking about schools every waking moment!

All 6 of our choices are oversubscribed! But one we would have got into every year bar one year (the bulge year here in north London) so hoping we’ll be ok?! Does anyone know whether you can turn down an offer higher up but still get other waiting list offers? Also if you get none of the 6 and they give you a list of local schools with places, can you go out of borough?

Good luck @Mastermixy (and everyone else on the thread!). As I understand it, if a school has places available after offers day and no waiting list, they have to give them to anyone who applies, regardless of which borough they live in. Also, I think that every school you are on a waiting list for is effectively separate, so you could decide to turn down a waiting list place at a particular school without it affecting your position on the waiting list for other schools, regardless of where they were ranked in your original preferences. Happy to be corrected on any of this though!

I think if you don’t get any of your 6 choices, you get allocated a place within the borough wherever they do have space, but you’re welcome to contact schools with places outside the borough if you aren’t happy with the allocation.

We’re in north London too. Choosing schools has been interesting.

Joining in as we finally filled in the CAF today. Am hopeful dd will get first choice grammar school but have put four choices just in case including one with a sibling link so we know we will get something which is good as we live in a bit of a no mans land for secondaries - we moved last year during lock down to have a bigger house and didn’t really research school catchments! 🤞🤞🤞

@Lockdowndramaqueen that's us too. Moved during lockdown as really needed the space, but forgot to thoroughly check schools and catchments (house seemed too good to let go )

I've been seeing people talk about documents to send with forms, but seems my council doesn't request any (unless I've managed to somehow miss that!)

Hope it works out ok @SweetsAndChocolates - am sure it will all be fine!🤞🤞🤞 Our new council doesn’t request any documents - only council tax number.

Why does it take five months to process the applications? I just want to know so we can make plans...

(DD gets extra transition due to SEN. The schools will decide what extra help she'll get at Secondary together).

I also like the as long as you include a sure fire local comp… there are some parts of London where that really isn’t an option. You might end up with a school in a neighbouring borough, at best…

Our council didn’t request anything either. The last borough we lived in - when we were applying for primary places - they wanted all kinds of proof, including evidence that the children lived with us. Which is quite hard to muster if you don’t get benefits and your child doesn’t have regular involvement with NHS services.

@Jangle33

I also like the as long as you include a sure fire local comp… there are some parts of London where that really isn’t an option. You might end up with a school in a neighbouring borough, at best…

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply everyone has this, if you're referring to my comment. I was just trying to help and give good advice, and make sure it's clear that you aren't risking a place at a local school by putting a school you prefer, but are less sure of getting a place at, first, as long as you include the local school somewhere as well. I am well aware that there are some places (and not just in London) where admission isn't guaranteed to any school.

Good luck everyone anyway!

All the research, visits, comparing stats, waiting for test results and sleepless nights agonising over preferences and then just ten minutes to complete the CAF !!! It's a bit of anti-climax - hopefully the relief will wash over soon.

It was the order of the 1st and 2nd choices that was so hard as we are fairly confident we would get either one.

Totally agree with you @BettySundaes

Thank you everyone, I know different areas work differently, but part of me thought I'd missed something in the process. I did call to double check I hadn't missed anything had a lovely lady tell me how this week was going to be a busy one with closing date fast approaching (I was one of the first of many to call 😬)

Definitely feels like a long wait now

Coming to wait in here too please, March seems like a ridiculously long time to wait. We have 2 grammar schools as top 2 choices, 2 massively over subscribed schools that had aptitude tests for 3 and 4, then our 2 closest schools as 5 and 6, with 5 being the 1 we're technically not catchment for although a mere mile up the road they are. Fully aware that this list makes it look like I've decided to make things as stressful as possible for myself! Results for 11+ and aptitude suggest that we won't need to look outside the top 3 choices but I'm just aware you just don't know officially until March so lots of nail biting to do.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Why does it take five months to process the applications? I just want to know so we can make plans...

(DD gets extra transition due to SEN. The schools will decide what extra help she'll get at Secondary together).

It takes so long due to all the steps needed:

1st September
On-line application system goes live, and paper application forms are made available

31st October
Closing date for secondary applications

By 5th November
Primary schools/academies to forward any paper application forms to the School Admissions Team

By 19th November
Preferences to be exchanged with neighboring admissions authorities

By 10th December
Ranked lists from Voluntary Aided schools/ academies to be returned to the School Admissions Team

Week commencing 24th January
Offers to be confirmed with other admissions authorities

Week commencing Monday 14th February
Final lists of allocated students to be sent to all schools and academies

On or by Tuesday 1st March
Email notification will be sent to applicants who applied on-line. Letters will be issued on the previous working day and are likely to arrive after the on-line system notifications

The closing dates and offer dates are national statutory requirements. The dates of exchanges of information may on occasion vary slightly by agreement, to take into account local issues associated with workload and/or specific situations affecting a school/academy.

This is the coordinated scheme near me. Lots of logistics to sort along with late applications, house moves, changes of mind and circumstances to consider. It’s a huge task.

We are in an enviable position as we know DS will be going to our preferred grammar school, where our DD is already a pupil.

There are very few grammar schools in our area and most have 11+ scores as the initial ranking criteria. A few of those schools, including our preferred choice, send a letter to the top (pan of school) scores stating that the DC have a guaranteed place at the school as long as a valid and on time application, with that school as first preference, is submitted to the Local Authority.

It's a lovely position to be in, but hasn't stopped my putting our catchment comprehensive and an undersubscribed comprehensive in our nearest town as second and third preferences!

stating that the DC have a guaranteed place at the school as long as a valid and on time application, with that school as first preference, is submitted to the Local Authority.

That is a bit disingenuous .
It is partly true, but partly misleading.
If you preferred faraway-hopeless-chance school (FHC) and put it first, and the grammar second, then when you didn't get FHC you would still be guaranteed the grammar even though you had put it second.
Of course if for some reason you did get FHC then you wouldn't get the grammar, but only because you got something you wanted even more.

@TeenMinusTests I agree- I also thought it sounded a bit disingenuous. What they mean in their wording is that you are only guaranteed a place if you put them first because if you don't you may get a school you listed higher instead, as everyone can only get one offer on Offer Day. However, as you said, someone who lists a school they don't get into in first position and the grammar second would definitely not lose their place at the grammar for listing it second (or even for listing it sixth if they didn't get into any of the schools they listed higher) and schools writing things like this that can be misinterpreted can lead to the spread of the 'schools prioritise people who put them first' myth.